The Businessman and the Wanderer
The Wanderer was building a hospital to care for the poor, aged and sick.
A wealthy Businessman wanted to gain merit with the Buddha, and so donated 100 gold coins to the Wanderer for the purpose of building the hospital.
The Wanderer said: “I accept”.
The Businessman was unhappy with the attitude of the Wanderer. 100 gold coins would allow the Wanderer to build the hospital and feed 50 poor, aged and sick patients for up to a year, yet the Businessman was not even thanked.
The Wanderer sensed the unhappiness of the Businessman, and asked: “Would you like me to thank you for the 100 gold coins?”
“You should,” answered the Businessman.
“Why?” asked the Wanderer, “The giver should be thankful.”
A wealthy Businessman wanted to gain merit with the Buddha, and so donated 100 gold coins to the Wanderer for the purpose of building the hospital.
The Wanderer said: “I accept”.
The Businessman was unhappy with the attitude of the Wanderer. 100 gold coins would allow the Wanderer to build the hospital and feed 50 poor, aged and sick patients for up to a year, yet the Businessman was not even thanked.
The Wanderer sensed the unhappiness of the Businessman, and asked: “Would you like me to thank you for the 100 gold coins?”
“You should,” answered the Businessman.
“Why?” asked the Wanderer, “The giver should be thankful.”
The Bandit and the Wanderer
One day as the Wanderer was travelling a Bandit jumped out from behind some bushes and threatened the Wanderer with a sword.
“Your money or your life!” demanded the Bandit.
The Wanderer handed over all 3 copper coins he possessed and thanked the Bandit.
As the bandit started to leave, the Wanderer asked: “Please return the thanks when you receive it.” Bewildered, the Bandit thanked the Wanderer and ran away.
A few days later the Bandit was caught by the police and the Bandit confessed to his crime. When the Wanderer was called as a witness, the Wanderer testified: “This man is no bandit, he asked for the money, I gave it to him and he thanked me for it.”
The police had no choice but to let the Bandit go. The Bandit immediately went to the Wanderer, knelt before him and asked to become the Wanderer’s disciple and assistant.
“Your money or your life!” demanded the Bandit.
The Wanderer handed over all 3 copper coins he possessed and thanked the Bandit.
As the bandit started to leave, the Wanderer asked: “Please return the thanks when you receive it.” Bewildered, the Bandit thanked the Wanderer and ran away.
A few days later the Bandit was caught by the police and the Bandit confessed to his crime. When the Wanderer was called as a witness, the Wanderer testified: “This man is no bandit, he asked for the money, I gave it to him and he thanked me for it.”
The police had no choice but to let the Bandit go. The Bandit immediately went to the Wanderer, knelt before him and asked to become the Wanderer’s disciple and assistant.
Every lesson is most important
The King wanted to learn and understand Zen in the shortest amount of time.
The King summoned the Wanderer and asked: “Teach me the most important Zen lesson there is.”
“Every lesson is most important,” replied the Wanderer, “You cannot find any Zen lesson that is not the most important.”
The King summoned the Wanderer and asked: “Teach me the most important Zen lesson there is.”
“Every lesson is most important,” replied the Wanderer, “You cannot find any Zen lesson that is not the most important.”
I see
The parents of a young unwed beautiful girl discovered one day that their daughter was pregnant.
The parents were supremely angry, and demanded to know who the father was. After much harassment, the girl blamed the Wanderer who happened to be passing through the town.
When the parents confronted the Wanderer, the Wanderer merely replied: “I see.”
When the child was born, the responsibility of taking care of the child fell on the Wanderer. The Wanderer took great care of the child, providing it milk and food and all the essentials for the child to grow up healthy.
A year passed, and the young unwed beautiful girl could bear it no longer and admitted to her parents that the real father of her child was actually a young man working as a blacksmith who lived in the next village.
The parents immediately went to the Wanderer to inform him of the truth, seek for his forgiveness, and get the child back.
The Wanderer simply replied: “I see” then willingly returned the child back to the parents.
The parents were supremely angry, and demanded to know who the father was. After much harassment, the girl blamed the Wanderer who happened to be passing through the town.
When the parents confronted the Wanderer, the Wanderer merely replied: “I see.”
When the child was born, the responsibility of taking care of the child fell on the Wanderer. The Wanderer took great care of the child, providing it milk and food and all the essentials for the child to grow up healthy.
A year passed, and the young unwed beautiful girl could bear it no longer and admitted to her parents that the real father of her child was actually a young man working as a blacksmith who lived in the next village.
The parents immediately went to the Wanderer to inform him of the truth, seek for his forgiveness, and get the child back.
The Wanderer simply replied: “I see” then willingly returned the child back to the parents.
Sound of the rain
It was raining heavily outside, and a kind shopkeeper invited the Wanderer in for a hot cup of tea.
“What is Zen?” the shopkeeper asked the Wanderer.
The Wanderer bowed low to the shopkeeper, sipped his tea, and gestured for the shopkeeper to join him in listening to the sound of the rain.
The Wanderer said: “Everything I say needs to be explained, which is inferior to the the sound of the rain which needs no explanation. So let us listen to the rain.”
“What is Zen?” the shopkeeper asked the Wanderer.
The Wanderer bowed low to the shopkeeper, sipped his tea, and gestured for the shopkeeper to join him in listening to the sound of the rain.
The Wanderer said: “Everything I say needs to be explained, which is inferior to the the sound of the rain which needs no explanation. So let us listen to the rain.”
The Employee and the Wanderer
The Employee works very hard at the company, starting at daybreak and ending past midnight,
Earning money, chasing status;
Striving for an ever faster car, bigger house, higher salary,
Forever in the office, the Employee lives in a virtual world of spreadsheets, contracts and meetings,
The Employee believes he is happy.
The Wanderer has no office to sit in, no contracts to write, no meetings to attend.
Having no interest in money because money is not real,
The Wanderer lives in the real world by walking in the sunshine, eating apples and watching sunsets.
The Wanderer believes he is happy.
Earning money, chasing status;
Striving for an ever faster car, bigger house, higher salary,
Forever in the office, the Employee lives in a virtual world of spreadsheets, contracts and meetings,
The Employee believes he is happy.
The Wanderer has no office to sit in, no contracts to write, no meetings to attend.
Having no interest in money because money is not real,
The Wanderer lives in the real world by walking in the sunshine, eating apples and watching sunsets.
The Wanderer believes he is happy.
The Cheetah and the Wanderer
The Cheetah is always in a rush, racing from one business meeting to the next business meeting.
Not wanting to waste time travelling,
The Cheetah buys a Ferrari to get to meetings fast, then he buys a jet plane to get to meetings even faster, then he buys a rocket to get to meetings fastest.
The Cheetah rushed too fast too much and broke down.
The Cheetah believes he is productive.
The Wanderer has nowhere to be, and so he is never late.
To the Wanderer, being able to walk is a blessing.
Never in a rush, the Wanderer strolls everywhere, along a beach, in a park, up a mountain.
Contented just to be alive to experience the world,
The Wanderer feels no need to be productive.
Not wanting to waste time travelling,
The Cheetah buys a Ferrari to get to meetings fast, then he buys a jet plane to get to meetings even faster, then he buys a rocket to get to meetings fastest.
The Cheetah rushed too fast too much and broke down.
The Cheetah believes he is productive.
The Wanderer has nowhere to be, and so he is never late.
To the Wanderer, being able to walk is a blessing.
Never in a rush, the Wanderer strolls everywhere, along a beach, in a park, up a mountain.
Contented just to be alive to experience the world,
The Wanderer feels no need to be productive.
The Dwarf and the Wanderer
The Dwarf guards his gold, buried deep in a mine.
Fearing his gold would be stolen,
The Dwarf counts his gold everyday, and stands guard at the entrance to the mine.
Always in the mine, never seeing sunshine, never feeling the breeze, the Dwarf spends his days counting gold, guarding gold.
The Dwarf believes he is rich.
The Wanderer has no gold.
The Wanderer has no possessions except for a hat, loose fitting clothes and a comfortable pair of shoes.
Curious about the world,
Where the wind blows the wanderer strolls, his possessions help him explore comfortably.
Always in the sunshine, wind in his back, free to explore,
The Wanderer believes he is rich.
Fearing his gold would be stolen,
The Dwarf counts his gold everyday, and stands guard at the entrance to the mine.
Always in the mine, never seeing sunshine, never feeling the breeze, the Dwarf spends his days counting gold, guarding gold.
The Dwarf believes he is rich.
The Wanderer has no gold.
The Wanderer has no possessions except for a hat, loose fitting clothes and a comfortable pair of shoes.
Curious about the world,
Where the wind blows the wanderer strolls, his possessions help him explore comfortably.
Always in the sunshine, wind in his back, free to explore,
The Wanderer believes he is rich.